More than 1,300 staff placed on administrative leave as White House accuses VOA of being anti-Trump, "radical" and "leftist".

US President Donald Trump has signed an order to strip back the federally-funded news organisation Voice of America, accusing it of being “anti-Trump” and “radical”.

A White House statement said the order would “ensure taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda”, and included quotes from politicians and right-wing media railing against the “leftist”, “partisan” VOA.

  • NOT_RICK@lemmy.worldEnglish
    45·
    20 hours ago

    I know foreign people who listened to VoA, and now it won’t be there anymore for them.

    Stuff like this is a perfect example of how little Trump understands soft power. That was an outlet for American ideals (ok, propaganda) and American culture to diffuse across the world. Seeing how power abhors a vacuum, I won’t be surprised when China increasingly fills this void.

    • NJSpradlin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      19 hours ago

      Remember, Trump isn’t dancing by his own tune. Who stands to benefit the most from the US undoing their relationships, contracts, defense agreements, and soft power agendas?

      Then also remember that at the rate we’re moving, the 1st amendment is or will be dead very soon. Even this comment could end up with me being blacked bagged after not too long.

    • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
      5·
      19 hours ago

      I won’t be surprised when China increasingly fills this void.

      The language barrier makes that unlikely. I think this one is going to remain empty for a while.